Dr. Kent Redfield is a professor emeritus of Political Science at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). He is affiliated with the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) and the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS.
Dr. Redfield has authored several books, chapters in books, and articles on Illinois politics, campaign finance and political corruption. He is a co-author of a new edition of Illinois Politics: A Citizen’s Guide to Power, Politics, and Government, which was published by the University of Illinois Press in August 2024.
What sparked your interest in politics?
I expected to major in chemistry, but my interest in politics started in my undergraduate general education classes. My professors focused my interest in politics and changed my life. In the classes, I learned political behavior is human behavior and that values, institutional structures, and cultural norms are essential to the health of the practice of politics in a civic society. These interests led me to graduate school, a career in teaching and research, and ultimately a public life in politics.
What’s your research focus area?
My research has focused on the institutional process and structures that produce public policy rather than specific policy questions. Most of my time was spent researching campaign finance issues, the role of money in politics, and political corruption, primarily in the context of Illinois politics. While I was a faculty member at UIS, I partnered with an Illinois-based public interest group for 20 years where I applied my research and my understanding of Illinois politics to promoting changes in Illinois’ campaign finance and political ethics laws.
Who should read your book? What’s the goal?
The book is written for a general audience with an interest in Illinois politics and government. For an Illinois citizen who wants to understand and engage in politics and policy making, this Citizen’s Guide is the place to start. The goal is to give the reader an introduction to the dynamics and the institutional structures and processes of Illinois politics as well as an overview of some of the key policy issues Illinois is facing.
While not the primary audience, the book would also be valuable to policy researchers who want to communicate their research findings to policy makers and opinion leaders and influence policy outcomes but are unfamiliar with the dynamics of policy making within the context of Illinois politics or the American political system. For this group, it is also a place to start.
You co-produced the book with two scholars from different universities. How can researchers get connected with each other?
You often know people in your area of scholarship. I’ve known Jim Nolan since the 1980s, since our research focus areas overlap. Jim knew Melissa Morrison, who brought perspective in understanding Chicago and suburban politics, a particularly important perspective because of the massive change in the suburbs within the past few decades.
Advice to anyone who wants to research politics or public policy.
Scholars with an interest in putting their knowledge and findings into the public sphere to inform public discussions and shape public policy should understand a couple of things. First, the range of people who you may need to reach is vast – engaged citizens, journalists, elected officials, government agency officials, personnel and staff, policy group members, public interest group leaders, etc. It’s important to meet people where they are at, listen, and learn to communicate with them.
Second, making public policy is a political process. You need to understand political behavior, institutions, processes, and norms. It helps if you like politics, but it is not required. However you need to respect the process. In a civic society when you don’t prevail on an issue of public policy, you don’t lose because of politics, you lose at politics. Progress only comes through figuring out where you fell short and shaping new strategies for achieving success the next time.
What has been your experience as an IGPA affiliate?
I’ve been an affiliate since the 1990s. Most of my early projects involved policy areas like reapportionment, campaign finance, and political corruption. More recently, I was involved with IGPA’s COVID initiative, co-authoring a policy spotlight, editing reports, and participating in planning activities. IGPA is a diverse, interdisciplinary community of exceptionally talented research scholars who are committed to evidence-based research and applying it to public policy. It is very stimulating and rewarding to be able to interact and work with them.
Illinois Politics: A Citizen’s Guide to Power, Politics, and Government can be purchased on the University of Illinois Press website at https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p087974.